Ins & Outs: Is an in-law suite in your home’s future?

In-laws, Outlaws and Granny Flats: Your Guide to Turning One House Into Two Homes, by Michael Litchfield, The Taunton Press, 218 pages, $24.95.

Spacing Out

By Larissa Lytwyn/Life@Home

When Michael Litchfield purchased an old dairy farm above Tomales Bay in northern California, he didn’t move into the original farmhouse. He chose instead to live in the property’s pair of outbuildings, the place that once housed tractors and other agricultural equipment. With 12-foot ceilings and quarry tile floors, it’s come a long way since its farm days of yore.

Litchfield, a home renovator and founding editor of Fine Homebuilding magazine, began wondering if more people were living as he was, discovering how less space could still feel roomy. “And I found out that they were,” Litchfield says, speaking by phone from his West Coast find. “And the book was born.”

In-laws, Outlaws and Granny Flats is a step-by-step guide that can help homeowners decide if an in-law suite (considered an “outlaw” suite without a permit, and a granny flat in the UK and Canada), is right for you. Litchfield asks readers to assess their living situation, as well as their personality, honestly. If, for instance, you’re, as Litchfield puts it, “a control freak,” building and potentially renting an in-law suite may not be the best plan. If you and your family are more laidback, however, and can roll well with the punches, it might be a wise personal and fiscal choice.

It’s also trendy. According to the 2000 census, Litchfield writes, the percentage of multigenerational households increased for the first time in more than a century. “That was even before the 2008 recession,” Litchfield says. “As I began to research, I found that a large part of the trend was because America’s changed so much. We don’t have as many small, traditional nuclear families. In fact, the largest percentage of households is headed by single parents; most of whom are women.”

More recently, however, economic necessity has become a greater factor. “Kids are moving back in with their parents after college now, and at the same time, baby boomers are getting older,” he says. Instead of moving into expensive assisted living facilities, families are literally moving closer together.

An in-law suite wasn't part of this house plan, but once the owners recognized the generous space beneath the living room, they chose to create one in lieu of a traditional basement. The living area feels roomier because of abundant natural light. Photo by Art Grice.

“I really think the time of moving around every few years has started to slow down,” he says. “Add to that the more recent influx of immigrants from Latin America and Asia, who have a tradition of living in multigenerational households, and you’ll start to see how things have changed.”

Now, instead of rattling around 4,000 square foot McMansions, more Americans are thinking small instead of supersized. Litchfield also recommends they think creatively. In-laws’ chapters are divided into case studies of various options, from stand-alones to basement, attic and garage conversions. Another choice is an addition, whether a bump-out from an existing space, or a carve-out, an existing space reworked (and rewired) in new ways. “There’s so much you can do, if you just take the time to think about it,” Litchfield says. “What I loved about writing this book was how personal each story was.”

One such story was that of James and Penny Tuer. The couple began building their house in 2004. Creating an in-law suite wasn’t part of the original plan, Litchfield writes, but once the Tuers saw how much space was available under their living room, they decided it would be a smart option. Their decision paid off when the Tuers started a family. Waiting for the birth of their baby girl, they rented the main house and finished their in-law suite basement while living in it.

“There’s so much that can happen, so much about life that is unexpected,” Litchfield says. An in-law suite can be a good back-up plan for those unexpected twists. Other cases studies include instances of widowed fathers and adult children in need of a place to stay.

The great room features a vaulted ceiling to make it feel more spacious. Photo by Muffy Kibbey.

If you want to rent to someone other than a relative, however, you easily can. “The only exception might be if there were medical conditions involving a caretaker or the homeowner,” says Litchfield. “But overall, who is living in your in-law suite doesn’t matter. Still, always check with your town.”

Litchfield devotes a whole chapter of his book to zoning regulations. “Each town is different,” he says. “Call each department — building, planning, zoning — and feel them out about a project. Tell them what it is. Be open and friendly about it.” If there are situations in which a project may not be legal, Litchfield says variances may be created to allow exceptions.

Concerned about a neighbor? Remember: most things are subjective. “For instance, “If you’re ‘blocking’ a neighbor’s view, how do you define block?” Litchfield writes. “If they can still see the mountains, but not as much of them, have you diminished the value of their property?” While subjectivity is the bottom line, that bottom line also means that your in-law suite isn’t just affecting you — it’s affecting the whole neighborhood.

“One thing about planning a project like this is that it can start a discussion going, and you can really get to know your neighbors,” Litchfield laughs. “As long as you’re upfront about what you’re doing, you can probably reach some kind of compromise.”

What if you move into a piece of property and discover that an existing in-law suite was never properly permitted? The process in inspecting and licensing these places can be expensive; Litchfield say’s he’s known people to spend up to $10,000. “While it can get pretty costly, some towns are very understanding,” Litchfield says. “You could be granted amnesty, in which case you could potentially avoid some of those fees. It really is a case-by-case situation, though. If there’s any real issues, they will be in terms of safety.”

Since making the move into his in-law arrangement, Litchfield says he’s never been happier. “I love the flexibility of the lifestyle, the ability to travel more freely,” he says. “I think in-law suites are a great option to both create and live in. And I think we’re going to see more of these types of (housing) arrangements in the future.”